Here's what's different about this takedown: NOM's lawyer asked YouTube to restore the video immediately, rather than keeping it off-line for the standard 10-14 business day counternotice period. And YouTube, after doing its own fair use analysis, agreed and obliged.

YouTube's decision is both laudable and perfectly sensible — as we'veoftennoted, there's no need to follow the DMCA safe harbor procedures if the disputed content is a clear fair use and, as a result, there's no risk of liability.

That said, NOM's sudden championship of fair use rights is striking, considering that NOM appears to have sent a slew of impropertakedownnotices of its own recently. The irony is palpable, especially for critics of NOM who've been denied the same free speech rights that NOM is now enjoying.